The Boys Of Fall
by VanInBlack
Summary: Morgan and Rossi and the aftermath of "25 to Life". Beware of spoilers for 6x11 and a small, barely there hint to Rossi/Strauss.


_**A/N: Here's my contribution to the 'Theme Song Challenge'. The character I got was Morgan, with the song prompt "The Boys of Fall" by Kenny Chesney. I truly hope that it's not too obvious that Morgan isn't exactly my favorite on the show. I tried my best writing him, but I can't seem to feel myself into his character... **_

_**The story can be seen as some sort of a sequel to my Rossi/Strauss story "Can't Stop" - please mind the M-rating if you want to check that one out. **_

_**For everyone who's not up-to-date with every episode of Season 6, please be aware that both stories contain spoilers for Episode 11 "25 to Life". **_

_**Also, for everybody who has been following my other stories, I'd like to thank you all very much for leaving such wonderful reviews! I truly appreciate each and every one of them, and I apologize for not having been able to reply back the last few times... I swear ff . net will be the death of me one day with their endless bugs and malfunctions...**_

_**Disclaimer: I might have earned a bit of money over the past months, but it's still not enough to buy CM out of CBS' mistreating hands...**_

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><p><strong>The Boys of Fall<strong>

Morgan didn't have to turn his head to know that it was Rossi, who had just stepped next to him behind the fence of the football field. He knew that after their less-than-stellar arrest of James Stanworth and the events leading up to it, the last word hadn't been spoken for Rossi.

They stood in silence for a few minutes, watching the group of college boys in front of them training for their next game.

"I was one of those boys, too, you know," Morgan said, finally breaking the uncomfortable silence that had built up between them.

"I figured," Rossi replied matter-of factly.

Morgan turned his head to raise an eyebrow on him.

"What? You think I don't know where your love for tackling Unsubs and breaking down doors comes from? You'd fit right in there," Rossi grinned.

"That obvious, huh?"

"Yep," Rossi nodded.

They fell silent for another moment.

"You know that was a close call today. Could have cost you your career," Rossi went on after a couple of seconds. "You're lucky Stanworth confessed eventually."

"And if he hadn't I would have found a way to make him," Morgan retorted stubbornly.

Rossi shook his head. He didn't really expect a different reaction from his younger colleague.

"Well, since you were one of them," he continued, moving his head in the footballers' direction, "you should actually know that all the tackling in the world will only get you so far if you don't have the proper tactic to back it up."

Morgan shot him a dark glare.

"And no, blowing up Stanworth's campaign party to yell at him until you get the answers you want doesn't count as a strategy," Rossi added.

"No? What was it then?" Morgan bit back sarcastically.

"Sheer dumb luck," Rossi said dryly.

"You really think I don't know that?"

Oh, he knew all too well. He had been standing here, watching these kids, some of whom were certainly having a big career ahead of them, for the past half hour, knowing how damn close he'd come to lose his second career this afternoon.

This time he was lucky, he got away with a few bruises instead of a second busted knee cap. The next time, he'd probably not be as lucky.

"Just wanted to check," Rossi said evenly.

"Trust me, Rossi, I know better than anyone."

"Good. Then you might want to remember it the next time you feel like breaking through a wall head-first."

"Geez, now you sound like my mother," Morgan snorted.

"I'm gonna take that as a compliment," Rossi replied.

"You should. She is the most amazing woman I know."

"That's for sure. After all, the living proof for that is standing right next to me. Your mother raised a great man." Rossi laid his hand in Morgan's shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly, getting a smile out of him.

"Thanks, Rossi. For everything today."

"I didn't do anything," Rossi shrugged.

"Yes, you did. You trusted me and my judgment and gave me the leeway I know Hotch would never have given me. Plus, you kept Strauss off of my ass," Morgan insited.

Rossi smiled to himself as he remembered the "conversation" he had with her before the team had gone out to arrest the criminal politician.

"You know, one of these days, you're gonna have to tell me your secret with getting her all tame and mellow."

Seeing the smug grin on his team mate's face, he quickly changed his mind.

"On second thought, I don't want to know."

"Best not," Rossi agreed.

They turned to focus on the players again who had started a game, while the sun was slowly setting in the west, bathing their field in a warm, colorful red.

They'd won their own game again, today, but Morgan knew that studying a few new tactics couldn't hurt. Who knew what else their team had to expect in the future.

_~Fin~_


End file.
